Stiff opposition from multiplex owners foils Kamal Haasan's DTH plan

Mumbai Mirror|

Updated: Jan 10, 2013, 01.56 PM IST

"The industry has let me down,” said an emotional Kamal Haasan in Chennai after postponing the release --both theatrical and DTH -- of his new and most ambitious film ever. Vishwaroopam, which was to be premiered on the DTH platform on January 11, a day prior to hitting the theatres, may now release on January 25 or later.

By Rajaneesh Vilakudy

Did the man who made the unforgettable Pushpak, get carried away with the Rs 140 crore -gamble?

"The industry has let me down," said an emotional Kamal Haasan in Chennai after postponing the release --both theatrical and DTH -- of his new and most ambitious film ever.

Vishwaroopam, which was to be premiered on the DTH platform on January 11, a day prior to hitting the theatres, may now release on January 25 or later. According to sources, the actor-filmmaker took the step when his move elicited a dismal response from DTH subscribers, besides stiff opposition from theatre owners across the country.

Forget DTH, such is the plight of the actor, who was once hailed as one of the top stars in the country that the theatrical release date of the film too is under a cloud.

Though Kamal puts up a brave front, there are rumours that he was outnumbered and outwitted by the multiplex owners and had misread his audience completely.

"Audiences down South will not shell out so much money for films, whether at home or in theatres. There were too few subscribers for the film across the country (Airtel was reportedly selling for Rs 1,000 per view), that pushing back the release date may not change the mindset of the audience," said a source.

Trade sources say the film, which was shot for around Rs 90 crore, has been lying in the can for want of distributors for the last five months. Not that there were no takers, but no one was willing to buy what the industry describes as the "exorbitant price" Kamal was quoting for his ambitious tri-lingual film (Tamil, Hindi and Telugu).

According to trade insiders, the actor was demanding about Rs 140 crore for the film (Rs 80 crore for Tamil, Rs 40 crore for Telugu and Rs 20 crore for Hindi) from prospective buyers like Eros, UTV and Reliance for the three languages. Interestingly, no production house was willing to buy the film for such a hefty price. The actor was willing to budge an inch or two, but the production houses weren't.

"He was ready to come down to a figure of Rs 110 crore, but sadly no one was willing to take that risk. The price quoted came up to a maximum of only Rs 80 crore. It was a shock for Kamal. In such a scenario, he knew that he was not even getting back the production cost," a top Tamil producer told us.

For Kamal, it was a grim reminder that he no longer enjoys the kind of currency he once did on his home turf. Younger stars like Suriya, Ajith, Vijay, Dhanush and even Karthi have been racing to the top.

"Yes, Kamal should be there in the top 5, but every equation is changing at lightning speed," says a veteran Chennai-based journalist, who is closely tracking Kollywood.

According to trade analysts, there are a number of reasons why Kamal's film elicited a lukewarm response from the top production houses. "First of all, Kamal's directorial ventures are not known for their commercial value. He is viewed as an intelligent director, not a 'masala' director. Secondly, other than Kamal, there is nothing else to ensure eyeballs- no top heroine or technician ," says another trade tracker. To make things worse, Kamal's last film, Manmadhan Ambu, was a disaster at the box office.

Back to the DTH drama being played out, Kamal was shattered by the turn of things, but not willing to give up. Refusing to take names, the actor said he sent legal notices to some people in the industry who have gone out of the way to "block the film's release". The actor said it is his prerogative to take a decision regarding his next move, including the release date.

Asked about the protest of theatre owners against the DTH release of the film, Kamal said, "I am doing an honest and legitimate trade. No one has the right to stop me from going ahead. I will take legal action against those who threaten me and who try to prevent me from doing this."

The actor-director holds on to his dream with great conviction. "This is not a selfish move, but it will soon become the common path for the industry," he says.